We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Roni Nicole. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Roni below.

Roni, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I’m happiest when I’m fully immersed in creative work that allows me to connect with others, shift energy, and tell stories that matter. Being an artist and creative is not just what I do—it’s who I am. That said, I’d be lying if I said I never thought about what it might feel like to have a “regular” job—something stable, with predictable hours and a steady paycheck.

The last time I had that thought was during a particularly tough week last year. I was juggling three different projects—a movement workshop I was leading, a radio show interview I was producing, and prepping for a community event where I was also emceeing. My house needed repairs, I had no income at the time, and the pressure felt relentless. I remember standing in my kitchen, staring at a cracked ceiling, just *tired*. I thought, “What if I just worked a 9-to-5 somewhere, clocked in, did my job, clocked out, and had health insurance?” The simplicity of it felt so tempting.

But then I got an email from a workshop participant thanking me for creating a space where they finally felt seen—in their body, their story, their truth. And it reminded me *why* I do what I do. My work as an artist and advocate may not follow a traditional path, but it brings transformation. It feeds my soul and connects me to a much bigger purpose.

So no, a “regular” job isn’t for me. The chaos, the creativity, the community—I need it. That’s where I thrive. My conclusion? I may get weary, but I’ll always choose the path that allows me to create, disrupt, and uplift. Because *that* is where my joy lives.

Roni, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Roni Nicole—a multidisciplinary artist, movement maker, and disruptor of the ordinary. My work spans the worlds of dance, choreography, intimacy direction, producing, writing, sketch and improv comedy, flag artistry, singing, acting, and professional wrestling. I’m a proud Southern creative, born in Houston and “Carolina bred,” using every tool in my artistic toolbox to challenge norms, celebrate Blackness, and create liberating experiences for marginalized bodies.

I got my start as a young performer who could never sit still. I trained in dance and theater, fell in love with storytelling, and later found my way into wrestling rings, performance spaces, classrooms, and community events. Every discipline I’ve pursued has been rooted in a deep desire to connect, transform, and empower.

My services range from choreographing for stage productions to directing intimacy in theater and film, teaching movement workshops centered on body liberation, producing inclusive arts-based events, and performing across multiple genres. Whether it’s a joyful flag performance or a raw, soul-stirring monologue, my work meets people where they are and invites them to reflect, feel, and heal.

What sets me apart? I move with purpose. My work centers the lived experiences of Fat, Black, Queer, and Disabled folks—people often excluded from mainstream narratives. I create with them and *for* them. I don’t just entertain; I cultivate space for truth-telling, joy, and collective restoration.

I’m most proud of my work with Get Embodied Soul Movement, a practice started by Ifasina Clear that’s helped hundreds reconnect with their bodies, identities, and power. I want folks to know: when you engage with me or any of my work, you’re stepping into a space that values authenticity, equity, and radical creativity. This is more than art—it’s movement, healing, and revolution in motion.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

To truly support artists and foster a thriving creative ecosystem, society needs to stop treating the arts as an afterthought and start recognizing them as essential to cultural health, economic growth, and collective healing.

First, funding must be prioritized—not just for mainstream or traditionally “acceptable” art, but for community-based, experimental, and marginalized creatives. Artists deserve sustainable wages, affordable housing, healthcare, and access to funding that doesn’t require gatekeeping or unrealistic standards of “professionalism.”

Second, we need accessibility and equity at every level—from education and training to performance and presentation. That means funding arts programs in schools, creating inclusive platforms for disabled and marginalized creators, and supporting organizations that amplify underrepresented voices.

Third, creative labor must be respected. Exposure doesn’t pay bills. Artists need contracts, fair pay, and the same protections as other workers. Society needs to stop asking creatives to do more with less, and instead honor the time, energy, and emotional depth it takes to create impactful work.

And finally, we must create space for rest and experimentation. Not every artistic output should be commodified. Some of the most powerful work comes from play, from process, from pause. A thriving ecosystem values both product and process.

When society truly values art—not just as a luxury, but as a necessity—we all thrive. The work of artists helps us imagine new worlds. Supporting that work is how we begin to build them.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The core mission driving my creative journey is liberation through embodiment, storytelling, and radical inclusion.

I create to amplify the voices and bodies most often erased and my work is a reclamation of space, power, and joy. Whether I’m choreographing a movement piece, directing intimacy, performing in a wrestling ring, or leading a soul dance workshop, I’m creating space for people to see themselves fully, safely, and beautifully.

My goal is to use art as a tool for healing, connection, and transformation—to challenge systems of oppression, celebrate the richness of our narratives, and build communities where people feel empowered to live their truths unapologetically.

At the heart of it all, I believe movement is medicine, art is activism, and joy is resistance. That belief shapes every step of my journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/roninicoler
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roni_nicole_joshiqueen?igsh=NzRqaWM1YnMzN2E1
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigBangRoniNicole?mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Twitter: https://x.com/Glitterlicious?t=aRjOCIWVJt6bDKWdSKDCUw&s=09
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@roninicole?si=dkXPjU55AsLOAYs8
• Other: Follow what Iʼm reading on Substack https://substack.com/@roninicole?invite

Image Credits

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